Because of the need to reduce unit cost, the automobile industry has been reluctant to proliferate the number of different sized vehicle frames in their line-up. The vehicle frames that they are currently offering and expect to offer in the future are smaller than those that were offered in previous years. Therefore, very few automotive companies offer limousines or large size sedans or wagons which may be readily converted into limousines. Thus, the consumers who seek limousines, such as funeral homes and limousine services, have to accept smaller and less comfortable vehicles than they would prefer or modify existing vehicles at considerable expense.
Usually, when a sedan or station wagon is to be converted into a limousine, the vehicle chosen to be converted is a four-door sedan. An example of a method for converting a four-door sedan into a limousine is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,310,425 (issued July 22, 1919). The disadvantage of converting a four-door sedan into a limousine is that location of the rear door, and the appearance of the roof of the vehicle is dissimilar to the classic limousine appearance.
What is needed, therefore, is an inexpensive method for converting a production motor vehicle to a limousine having a classic limousine appearance. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides a method for converting a two-door sedan motor vehicle into a four-door limousine.
The method of the present invention includes the step of removing the doors from a two-door motor vehicle. Next, the body of the vehicle is severed transversely at the passenger compartment through the openings for the doors and the severed front and rear segments of the body of the vehicle are longitudinally separated. A pillar is located vertically between the roof and the floor of the front body segment on each side of the vehicle a predetermined distance forward of the location where the vehicle was severed. Each of the pillars is joined at each of its ends to the portion of the roof or the floor adjacent to the respective end of the pillar. Longitudinal body segments are inserted between the separated sections of the roof and the floor of the body and are joined at each end to the adjoining sections of the body. Next, a new front door is installed on the hinges of the front body segment. Finally, the front doors originally removed from the two-door sedan are modified and each is fastened by hinges to one of the pillars to provide a rear door for the limousine.
In the preferred embodiment, the present invention is used to produce a four-door limousine version of a motor vehicle available in a two-door sedan and a four-door sedan or wagon version. The two-door motor vehicle is modified as described above. The pillar used in the above method is the same pillar used in the four-door production vehicle. The front doors installed on the hinges of the front body segment after modification of the two-door motor vehicle is the front door designed for the four-door production motor vehicle.
A principal object of this invention is to provide a method of converting a conventional two-door motor vehicle to a limousine.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of producing a limousine from a conventional motor vehicle wherein the limousine has a classic limousine appearance and configuration.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a method of converting a conventional production motor vehicle to a customized vehicle with a lengthened wheel base to provide greater road stability for the vehicle and comfort for the occupants.
Further features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is read in conjunction with the drawings attached hereto.